Remarks by President McAleese at the Eircell/PPAI Awards UCD, Friday, 19 February 1999
Remarks by President McAleese at the Eircell/PPAI Awards UCD, Friday, 19 February 1999
I am delighted to be here this evening at the Eircell/Press Photographers Association of Ireland Awards.
In a world characterised by a short shelf life, it is a tribute both to the PPAI and its sponsors over the years, that these awards have endured and thrived for two decades an era where technology and changing circumstances have so radically altered the nature of press photography, but where the right photograph has a unique wordless power.
Indeed it is remarkable that despite all these new technologies - despite the incredible range of information now available over the internet, despite the speed and accessibility of modern day communication systems – photo journalism still has the power to capture the essence of a moment in a way that a hundred reports, a thousand emails, a million words can never do.
I know that technology has not replaced the hard work, skill and persistence required to produce that perfect image. As George Bernard Shaw put it “the photographer is like the cod which produces a million eggs in order that one may reach maturity”.
There is one final ingredient that has always been at the heart of the best press photography. That is a strong sense of integrity on the part of the photo journalist. It is this sense of integrity, of commitment to the truth, of adherence to the highest professional standards that ensures that the public trusts you and trusts the images you create. Now that it is possible to digitally manipulate images, this sense of trust is more fragile and more important than ever. It is a tribute to all of you that Irish press photography is still governed by that sense of authenticity and justified pride in your work that has ensured the continuing trust of the Irish public.
There are, of course, other challenges to be met. With increasing commercial pressure to be the first on the scene, to have the most touching, most challenging, most newsworthy picture, there is always a line to be drawn between obtaining an image that may serve the greater public good, while at the same time, respecting the right to privacy of individuals from intrusion on grief and tragedy.
We are fortunate in Ireland that our press photographers have almost invariably stayed on the right side of the line – not by virtue of an imposed set of standards but as a result of their own sense of decency, of what constitutes real news, of when a price is too high to be paid.
I would like to thank you for that, for respecting and upholding the very proud tradition of press photography that you have inherited - a tradition that is grounded in the ideals of integrity and social commentary and is upheld by the highest technical and professional standards. Awards of this kind go a long way towards encouraging people to maintain those standards and I have no doubt that this evening’s winners are outstanding examples of this.
May I use this opportunity to thank the many photographers my own life brings me into daily contact with. I am in a position to see the pressures and the professionalism first- hand. Your friendliness, courtesy and patience make my life much easier then it might otherwise be. Often accused as you are of caring only about picture and not the person, it is important that the public and especially those in the public eye, see the humanity and reward the decency and sensitivity in our press photographers. So often it is your picture which captures the essence of an event or issue and leaves the lingering memory.
I commend Stephen Brewer and Eircell for supporting this year’s Awards. As always, the judges have had a difficult task because of the very high standard of entries. We can take real pride in that standard. I congratulate you all and hope that an evening like this and these awards give you a renewed and recognised sense of commitment to your vocation. May you always find it personally and professionally fulfilling.